Red, I saw the Ringling show, too -- Kelly was a genius of melancholy, a pantomime artist for the ages.

I suppose the poem (which was writ during my two-bit pedagogic career) may be an attempt to enlarge upon the figure, to include, for example, poets -- those classic clowns who are not always aware they're in the circus, but can often be found trying too hard, all the same.

This is so beautifully composed (poem and pictures). I really love the top portrait of Kelly backstage wearing his wristwatch. He was my favorite and really the only clown I ever had any time for. Perhaps I'm being unfair and I'm too uneducated on the subject or my experience is too limited. But Kelly seemed to be a thoroughgoing artist -- wonderful concentrated performances with no self-consciousness, theorizing or editorializing about them -- in contrast to later, artier but less artful performers. What a fine tribute to Emmett Kelly. Curtis

Tom,This is touching..It reminds me of a very popular hindi film from the ancient age "Mera Naam Joker" ..meaning "My Name is Joker"..a parable from the film went something like this(i will try to translate the best i can)

"Mother(to his son who wishes to become a clown like his father): Your father spent a life-time making people laugh,he told me he had a heart big enough for everybody. When he fell off the ledge,and perished right in front of their eyes. They stood and clapped,for they were convinced it was part of his act.That he would go that far,that his journey was all but the smiles on their faces. I knew it was"

Emmett Kelly must have been born with an old soul. His physical comedy seems to express all the weariness in the world.

Playing the clown is perhaps one way to sneak out from under the responsibility of standing behind what one has said or is about to say. Sometimes the burden gets to be just too much. Then one is reduced to "clowning yet meaning it..."

The preciseness of this poem is stunning. Just beautiful. Reminded me of Fellini and his reverence for clowns, the history and meaning behind the variety of clowns, in its own way as very serious as kabuki acting. Kelly communicated something very deep, very elemental to those of us privileged to remember him.

It is so fine to think of the clown floating up, up through the tent hole peak and beyond.